GOP, in Attack Mode, Tries to Avoid Obstructionist Label

WASHINGTON -- Republicans, seeking to regain political ground in the health-care debate, have launched a series of attacks on Democrats' overhaul plan. But some GOP strategists worry an aggressive approach could backfire, if voters decide the party is obstructing efforts to address an issue they care about.

John Boehner

That is forcing Republicans to try to strike a tricky balance. Even as they hammer at President Barack Obama's plan, in a bid to reduce its size and delay its passage, they are trying to convince voters the GOP also wants to achieve changes that would reduce health costs and expand access to care.

On Thursday, House Republicans cheered the failure of a key House committee to move health-care legislation for yet another day, and held their own hearing focused on market-based ideas for reducing health-care costs. House Republican Leader John Boehner of Ohio told reporters a Democratic proposal to require employee coverage "is going to raise the cost of employment, which is going to mean less employees in America."

The Republican National Committee launched a Web video that warned of the "side effects" of the Democrats' health-care proposals. The Democratic National Committee fired back with a national television ad, accusing Republicans of using the issue to score political points. Democrats point to a series of recent comments by Republicans suggesting they want to wound President Obama by blocking health reform.

In Ohio, President Obama on Thursday accused the GOP of "playing politics" with health care. He cast Republicans as hypocrites for pointing to the health overhaul's potential impact on the federal deficit, saying they had drained the government's coffers with tax cuts, a Medicare prescription-drug benefit and two wars. "I'm always surprised that people don't have a little more shame about having created a mess, then trying to point fingers," he said.

The health-care issue appears to be starting to hurt Democrats. According to recent polls, public support for Democrats, including Mr. Obama, has eroded over both health care and the handling of the economy. Voter support for Democratic House candidates has declined to about 40% in polls, from about 55% late last year; Mr. Obama's job-approval rating has also slipped, albeit more slowly.

This trend so far doesn't appear to have helped Republicans directly. GOP support remains about where it was on Election Day last year, at about 35%. But many Republicans increasingly see an opportunity.

To emphasize Republicans' interest in an overhaul, Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has given 26 floor speeches since June, calling for health overhaul in each one. On Thursday, Mr. McConnell said Republicans agree with Mr. Obama on the problems -- but not the solutions. "All of us want health-care reform, but we want reform that brings down costs and long-term spending, not a so-called reform that makes things even worse," he said.

According to a June 30 internal strategy memo issued by the RNC, potential targets for criticism in the Democratic health plan include its price tag, estimated at more than $1 trillion over 10 years; its perceived lack of checks on spending; and the potential risks of greater government involvement in the market, such as deterioration of health-care quality and patient choice.

Republicans want to slow down what they view as Democrats' efforts to rush passage of their plan before public concerns over its costs and potential impact on the federal deficit mount. The RNC "will engage in every activity we can to slow down this mad rush," said the memo from party Chairman Michael Steele.

They hope to shift the debate so that jobs become the prism through which all domestic legislation is viewed. They argue that mandates for employers to provide all workers with health insurance would kill jobs.

Some Republicans caution that the GOP should take care not to cast itself as opposed to change. Resurgent Republic, a Web site that provides polling-based strategy for Republicans, noted that "there is a caveat" for the party's new, aggressive strategy. "Concern about rising health-care costs outstrips every other economic concern today," including job losses, it said in a recent analysis.